LNP marriage in Qld a mistake: elder

LNP elder Vaughan Johnson says it was a mistake to merge the Liberal and National parties in Queensland, and it's paying the price of regional neglect.

Almost a decade on from the merger, the man who served as chief whip in the Newman government says he now believes it was wrong, and rural and regional Queensland have paid a heavy price.

"Even though at the time I supported it, I don't support it now," he has told AAP, calling on the state LNP and the federal coalition to stop their "bulls***" treatment of the regions.

Mr Johnson said there was anger in the Nationals camp about the failings of southeast Queensland Liberals at Saturday's state election, and about what the 2008 merger had done in heartland Nationals territory.

"There's been a lot of bulls*** for a long time about what's going on, not only in Queensland, but in the federal sphere and the way the regions have been treated by the hierarchy of the party," he said.

"This isn't just recently. I've been talking to my former and current colleagues for a long while. This has got to change."

Mr Johnson stopped short of calling for a demerger, and said it was up to LNP leader Tim Nicholls to decide if he'd stay on as leader.